Colin Muething is uncertain about what will transpire moment to moment at the Marcus Autism Center, a branch of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. This uncertainty is precisely what attracted him.
Muething BSEd ’07, MEd ’09 serves as the director of the Marcus Autism Center’s Complex Behavior Support Program, where he assists children diagnosed with autism and their families in managing perilous behaviors like aggression and self-harm.
For Muething, assisting individuals with disabilities has been a lifelong enthusiasm. His mother is a behavioral specialist, and he provided care for his uncle who has Down syndrome.
Having obtained his master’s in special education from UGA, he taught in Gwinnett County Public Schools and observed experts throughout Atlanta. It was during this time that he met Nate Call, who was then the manager of the Intensive Outpatient Program at Marcus Autism Center.
While working alongside Call, who is now the vice president of Marcus Autism Center, Muething quickly realized: “This is it. This is my calling.”
The Complex Behavior Support Program overseen by Muething employs contemporary, evidence-based evaluation and treatment approaches to deliver all-encompassing services for children on the autism spectrum or those with developmental delays or histories of safety risks. The services vary in intensity to accommodate each family’s requirements, focusing on reducing troubling behaviors, teaching alternative methods to express needs and wants, and fostering environments that promote success both during treatment and in everyday life.
For every case, the objective remains constant: supporting children and families no matter the severity of the challenges they face.
Marcus Autism Center ranks among the few establishments nationwide that provide such programs, and the demand is surging. Muething has witnessed the waitlist extend from three years to four. For parents, this translates to a four-year wait for assistance in managing potentially hazardous behaviors.
Muething recalls thinking, “This is spiraling out of control.” He believes that increasing the behavioral specialist workforce is essential for enhancing access to these services.
He has championed the creation of a pathway for professionals in this domain to obtain licensing in Georgia. Appointed by Gov. Brian Kemp BS ’87, he serves on the Georgia Board of Examiners of Psychologists and is also part of the public policy committee for the Georgia Association for Behavior Analysis.
Muething, who possesses a Ph.D. in school psychology from the University of Texas at Austin and works as an assistant professor at the Emory University School of Medicine, is engaged in research that examines the factors leading to relapses in destructive behavior and strategies to help caregivers avoid them. He is also an associate editor for publications like Journal of Behavior Education and aims to enhance training for medical professionals working with children with disabilities.
He has received recognition for his endeavors, being included in UGA’s 40 Under 40 Class of 2019. However, more than anything, Muething cherishes observing the difference his work makes in the lives of children and their families. He recalls an instance when, after years of therapy, a child was able to re-enter school. The boy’s mother and grandmother embraced him tightly.
“It required four extensive years with many individuals collaborating with him, but the course of their lives has fundamentally altered forever,” Muething states. “I wouldn’t trade that for anything.”
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